The centerpiece of a revitalized Salem waterfront will be a replica of the 1797 merchantman Friendship. As early as 1937, the National Park maritime history enthusiasts, Salem's Serv ice believed that a sailin g vessel visiting public, and , best of all, school appropriate to the period , in conjunction children. An educational initi ative, called with warehouse-style structures housing "Building Friendship," supported by the exhibits on Derby Wharf, would be the National Park Service and the Essex highlight of a visit to the park and pro- Heritage Ad Hoc Commission, has alvide a comprehensive experience of ready in vo lv ed fifth-grade students Salem ' s earl y maritime heri tage. The county wide. They have contributed plan was cut short by World War II but many hours preparing poster illustrarevived in the late 1980 's under the di- tions interpreting their feelings on the rection of then Site S upe rin te ndent "Building Friendship" theme.Twelve of Cynthia Pollack. the students and their teachers made a The Friendship is onl y one of a series trip early this year to Washington, DC , of projects made feasible now by a recent thorough repair a nd strengthening of the Site's three \ wharves. Dredging a berthing area for the Friendship and potential visiting vessels is also underway and wharf exhibit structures have been designed. Why the Friendship? Foll owing an exhaustive search for an extant vessel of the correct type, it was determined that a reconstructed vessel would be the onl y way to tell the story of Salem 's very specialized world trade in an authenti c setting. The late 18thcentury American merchant vessel was designed specifically fo r the function it was to perform: the open ing of new and highly lucrative trade ro utes ; transporting huge quantities of high quality , low-bulk goods cheaply and efficiently in This model of the Friendship of 1797 at the Peabody competition with the British East Essex Museum, built by crewmen in 1803- 1804, is India Company; and having the serving as a design model for the new Friendship. sailing qualities necessary to outrun British and French privateers and to display their entries and meet Senamen-of-war, who paid no attention what- tors Edward Kennedy and John Kerry soever to the concept of American neu- and Representative Peter Torkildsen to trality during the Napoleonic Wars . request their support for the Friendship No plans are known to exist for a project. They also sail ed a 4-foot-long Salem East India.man; however, the model model of the ship, built by the children of of the Friendship at the Peabody Essex the Pheonix School in Salem, in ConstiMuseum is very close to pe1fect in all tution Pool to emphasize their point. Bay Marine, Inc. ofBarrington, Rhode respects. The model, built by Thomas Russell with the aid of the ship's carpen- Island, is preparing the plans and speciter, while aboard the Friendship at sea fications of the new Friendship. The during 1803- 1804, is a carefully crafted vessel will be as historically accurate as representation of the actual vessel. Be- possible, within the restrictions mansides owning the model, the museum has dated by the US Coast Guard, and will be a great deal of documentation for the ab le to put to sea as did its predecessor. vessel including business records of the The cost to build her is in the vicin ity of owners, logbooks, personal papers men- five million dollars. As federa l funds tioning incidents occuning aboard or while require a 25 % local match , the next step outfitting, and the home of Jerathmiel will in volve drumming up all the national and regional support we can. .t Peirce, partner in Waite and Peirce. Current Site Superi ntendent Steve Kesselman is confident the vessel can John Fray/er is historian for the Salem initiate a total learning experience for National Historic Site. SEA HISTORY 72, WINTER 1994- 95
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